Author Archives: Goldfish Communications

The Ultimate Summer Skincare

Winter is leaving the building and summer is on its way. As are the mountain walks, beach days, hanging out by the pool and, of course, that holiday break. With all this being said, the spa team at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa suggests it’s time for a skincare makeover before you tick off that summer bucket list.

Longer hours of daylight and hot, humid weather can affect our skin differently than the chilly winter season.

Living in South Africa, with high heats, humidity and in many places quite dry, one needs to take that into consideration when taking care of your skin.

Other steps, such as applying sunscreen and refraining from over-showering, are important for everyone.

The beauty tips below will help you enjoy the sunshine, keeping skin health in mind.

Apply sunscreen often

If you do nothing else for your skin this summer, wear sunscreen.

Look for sunscreens that offer at least SPF30, a broad spectrum protection as well as lip protection.

“The most important thing is that you need to protect your skin from the sun,” says the spa manager at Granny Mouse. If you don’t do that “your skin will age faster and increase your risk of skin cancer.”

It’s essential to apply sunscreen any time you are in the sun, including during the winter months. We tend to spend more time outside when it’s warmer, typically from September through to March.

Keep moisturizing

The team recommends finding a moisturizer with an SPF to provide an extra layer of protection. Just don’t put it on in the morning and think it can replace sunscreen all day.

You need at least SPF30, and you need to reapply every 2 hours, especially if you are in the sun. Keep your summer moisturizer lightweight with SPF, the team at the Granny Mouse Country House & Spa emphasise.

Go lighter on the makeup

On warmer days, wearing a ton of makeup can feel like an unnecessary extra layer. And, if you sweat, your makeup will come off more easily. Embrace the season and tone down your makeup routine. Your skin will enjoy the break. Wearing less makeup lets the skin breathe, but make sure your make up has SPF.

Caking on sunscreen over your applied makeup might not sound very appealing. But, if you’re attending an all-outdoor afternoon wedding, or having a long outdoor lunch, you’re going to need protection.

Look for moisturizers with the following qualities – those that are tinted, at least SPF30 and lightweight.

Exfoliate once or twice a week

Sunscreen is important, and sweat is the body’s natural way of cooling off. But both can do a number on your pores. That’s where exfoliation comes in. It helps unclog the pores and reduces blemishes.

Wear sun-protective accessories and clothing

Wide-brimmed hats

UV-400 sunglasses

Dark-coloured clothes with woven fabrics or UV absorbers

Hats can help shield the face and eyes from the sun. Sunglasses help, too.

Wash your face — but not constantly 

When it’s hot, you may feel the need to wash your face or shower constantly. Summer is typically warmer and sunnier than winter. It’s only natural that your skin has different needs.

When you’re spending more time in the sun, it’s important to be mindful about sunscreen. Find a broad-spectrum SPF30 and remember to reapply every 2 hours to protect your skin from premature aging and skin cancer.

A summer-friendly beauty routine will keep your skin happy and healthy all season long.

Spa-Special-Sept-2023

Making places for pebbles

There’s always a place for landscaping with pebbles as they slot right in whatever your style of garden design may be.

One can achieve so many different looks, while being practical at the same time, says Sean Granger, General Manager of Granny Mouse Country House & Spa. Some usages include making a garden neater, helping drainage and adding character, as it does at the Mouse House.

Whether your goal is to create a modern look, something traditional, Mediterranean, country feel or that Zen garden, pebbles can really bring out the best for your garden.

Pebbles come in so many colours and work as a great accompaniment to plants, trees, and water features, no matter how big or small the space is. They create a low maintenance area, making it a minimal upkeep area and is a great choice if you want to get rid of some lawn.

  1. Makes for smart design

There are a number of ideas that come to mind when it comes to pebbles. From the colours to the shapes and the theme, to a Biggy Best country look, or to a more modern look and feel; it all depends on the look you want to achieve.

  1. CREATE A CENTREPIECE

Pebbles can take centre stage as part of your backyard design. They can surround a focal plant feature or make for accentuating a fire pit.

  1. A ZEN-STYLE SPACE

Stones are a fundamental design element in the Japanese garden. They’re rarely used alone. Instead they are found in repeat patterns, with each stone placed in a particular position or group.

If you’re landscaping with pebbles and have some left over or have made some mistakes don’t leave them lying around in a forgotten corner. There are lots of ways to use them in other projects. Decorative pebbles are the perfect finishing touch for pots. You can use layers of pebbles to cover surface soil, and this will add texture, colour and interest as well as smarten up the look.

  1. LANDSCAPE WITH PEBBLES AROUND A WATER FEATURE

Ponds and other water feature ideas are great places to use pebbles, suggesting the water has worn away the soil to reveal a stony ‘beach’.

  1. DESIGN A ONE-OFF GARDEN PATH

Pebbles can be used to create an attractive mosaic design to create a garden path, making it as simple or multifaceted as possible.

These are just some of many ideas when using pebbles, and if you want to see some clever ideas on the use of pebbles head up to Granny Mouse Country House & Spa and be inspired.